Two die after being pulled from sea near Cornish beach

Fistral beach in Newquay is a popular surfing destination. Photograph: Colin Palmer Photography/Alamy View image in fullscreen Fistral beach in Newquay is a popular surfing destination. Photograph: Colin Palmer Photography/Alamy Two die after being pulled from sea at Cornish beach Man and woman pronounced dead at Fistral beach in Newquay after large emergency response Two people have died after being pulled from the sea at a popular surfing beach in the Cornish resort of Newquay. A man and a woman were pronounced dead at Fistral beach on Sunday after a large emergency response involving coastguards, a rescue helicopter, an RNLI lifeboat, paramedics and police. Newquay, which was busy with holidaymakers over the weekend, is preparing to host next week’s Boardmasters festival, a five-day celebration of music, surfing and skateboarding. Devon and Cornwall police said the victims’ families had been informed and a file would be prepared for the coroner. A spokesperson said: “Police were called by the South Western ambulance service at around 9.45pm on Sunday 26 July, following reports that two people had been recovered from the water at Fistral beach, Newquay. Emergency services attended and a cordon was put in place. Sadly, a man and a woman were pronounced deceased at the scene.” In West Sussex, two men were pulled from the sea at West Wittering on Sunday. One was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was taken to hospital. Sussex police were called to the beach at about 2.30pm on Sunday. Officers said the men were not believed to have known each other. The incidents came amid renewed warnings from water safety experts about the dangers of outdoor swimming after a spate of deaths this summer. Heather Massey, an associate professor in extreme environments and physiology at the University of Portsmouth, urged parents to ensure children swim only at supervised beaches with lifeguards and understand what to do if they or someone else get into difficulty. skip past newsletter promotion after newsletter promotion The RNLI advised people to choose beaches patrolled by lifeguards and, if they find themselves struggling in the water, to “float to live” by relaxing and breathing normally, tilting their head back and submerging their ears while using their hands to stay afloat. Once calm, they should call for help or swim to safety. Explore more on these topics UK news Cornwall news Share Reuse this content